Trolley catcher and retriever.



o. W; MERRILL. TROLLEY GATGHER AND RETRIEVBR. APPLICATION FILED 00T. 22,1909.

. 1,094,91 6. Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

lllllllll/I/lll F 4 2g I l" i i f im!! /W COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPH CoA.WASHINGTON. D. c.

C. W. MERRILL. TROLLEY GATGHBR AND RETRIEVBR.

APPLIGATION FILED OCT. 22, 1909.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

`z SHEETS-SHEET 2 *U NlTLl STATES CHARLES W. MERRILL, 0F

LOS ANGELES, CALFORNIA.

TROLLEY CATCHER. AND RETRIEVER.

Sp eccaton of Letters Patent.

patented Apr. 258, Mittel.

Application filed October 22, 1909. Serial No. 524.050.

To (1U '1li/mm. 'it may concern.'

lle it known that l, CHARLES lV. MERRILL, t

a rilizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the countyof Los Angeles triever, of which the following is a specification,

The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the trolley ofan electric car will be restrained from upward movement l afterleaving;` the trolley wire and also cause the trolley to be drawn downbelow the level of the trolley wire so as to escape the span wire whichsustains the trolley wire and also the trolley switches. even though thesame niav be lower than that portion of the trolley wire from which thetrolley wheel es caped.

The invention is capable of various embedinients7 a principle thereofbeing that for the purpose of catching the trolley there is a tached tothe trolley-line a clutch member that is capable of moving freely up anddown along' another member responsive to the gradual up and downmovement of the trolley wheel. and there being yielding means to holdsaid clutch member normally inoperative, but allowing the clutch tooperate to engage said other member upon a sudden upward movement suchas the jerk caused by the spring of the trolley arm when the trolleyvwheel leaves the wire.

."rnother feature of this invention is an arrangement whereby the clutchmember and said other member are immediately drawn down after the clutchmember has caught said other member.

The trolley catcher may be used either with or without the retriever.

The aceompanyino drawings illustrate the invention in some or the formsin which it may be embodied.

Figure l is a fragmental side elevation showing a trolley-car equippedwith the in volition in one of its forms, the trolley arm beine` brokenand the trolley displaced to contract the view. The clutch and clutchcarrier are shown in solid lines as they appear before the trolleyleaves the wire. Dotted lines indicate the position of the trolley. theclutch and the clutch carrier after the trolley has been retrieved. Fig.2 is an enlarged fragmental detail partly in section of the .inventionshown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is i aplan of the clutch and clutch carrier fromlmerc, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan section of the clutch carrier from linefc4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5`is a fragmental plan section of the retrieving`weight from line fc5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a fragmental side elevationshowing another form in which the trolley catcher ml, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 isa fragmental eleva tion partly in section showingthe position 1 of thetrolley and other parts when the trolley wheel has just escaped from thewire and the latch of the retriever has just been drawn to allow theretrieving device to operate. Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmental viewpartly in section showing` the position of parts when the trolley hasbeen retrieved. Fig'. l0 is a plan of the carrier and clutch and asquare post or clutch holder therefor. Figs. 8 and 9 are modificationsof Fig. 1.

A clutch holder l in the form of a post or vertical rod is held uprightby a support formed by top and bottom guides. The top guide 2 isfastened to the upper part of the car 3 and the bottom guide et isfastened l to the car bumper 5 and holds and Lguides 5 retrievercomprising a weight 6 to which j the lower end of the clutch holder l isl loosely connected by a plate 7 fastened by l bolts 8 to the weight 6.and a collar S) prol vided on the clutch holder l above the lower l endthereof to engage the under side of the l plate 7. The lower end lO ofthe clutch j holder is seated in a socket 11 in the weight 6 which ispreferably a cylinder and loosely tits in the guide 4- wliich is anupright cyl inder fastened to the car-bumper 5 by bolts l2 and serves toguide the weight7 and consequently the clutch holder in a vertical path.The gravity of the clutch holder l and the retriever7 when the weight isunsupported. normally tends to lower the rod. A latch is provided tonormally support the retriever in the set position shown in Fig. 2. Saidlatch may comprise spring-actuated latch-bolts 14rinounted in horizontalseats i5 in the retriever and normally extended by springs 1G to seat inthe guide l to support the retriever and adapted to be retracted by lbell cranks 1T which are operatable by engagel ment with the collar 9 inan upward movemay be applied. Fig. 7 is a section on line nient ot tlcclutch holder l and rairgial to retract the latch-bolts lll n' saidclutch holder nioves upward, Eloi purpose the lovve' arras ot' the bellare eiigaged ivith the latch-bolts by ineans oit notches 18 in the uppersides op, the Steins ot the latch-boltsl so that whenever the clutchholder l. moved upivar relative to the retriever the latch bel will bedrawn bach 'troni their Seats if) ir. the upper end oi" the guide a'-thus to release the retriever and allow it to inoye down. rlaidy seatsnay be 'formed by an annular groove in the inner ivall oit the guide 4t.

The trolley arni 2O is connected by its trolley line 2l with a. clutchthat pivotcd at Q3 to the clutch carrier which is a Weight that inountcdto slide up and flown the elutcli holder l. It coiled spring' Q5 isfastened at its loivcr end by pin QG to the clutch carrier :2t andl atthe, upper end by an eye 2T to the clutch and tende to hold the clutchat rest on the Weight The clutch has an eye to which the trolley rope 2lis attached.

The clutch carrier inay be a practically rectangular nietal casing forthe clutch-re tracting syncing` Q5 and ineasurably conforms at one Sideto the clutch holder so 'that it moves relative thereto Without undueloosencss. rlfhc clutch holder may be cylindricff so that the clutch andthe clutch carrier may suing freely around the saine.

The clutch latch consistsl of a blade spring Q9 fastened at its lowerend to the clutch carrier 2f-ly by a screw E32 inserted through thefront Wall of the carrier and screwed into an elongated nut 34 bctvveenwhich and the vvall the spring( Q9 is clamped; and the clutch latch isslightly concave to- Ward the clutch 2Q and is provided at its upper endwith a sloping' shoulder adapted to extend over the clutch 92 when saidclutch is at rest on the top ot the clutch carrie g and the clutch latchis also provided ivith a. horizontal shoulder 36 to uphold the end ofthe clutch and prevent it frein returning' undesirably toward the clutchcarria' after the clutch has been Withdrawn troni the bitching' shoulderil?) Which causes desirable eoniilnession ot the latch so that it willquickly return to norinal position to uphold the outer end oft theclutch "when the clutch is retracted by the spring' in this nornialposition the pressure ot the clutch latch against the clutch very slightso as to throw the st ain mainly upoi the clutch ret-racitingl spring25, Which has a slightly greater retentire porter strength than isnecessary to withstand the pull et the trolley rope (hiringi normalincrement of the rope over the rope iten` der the trolley arin 2t)nieves inoderately up and doyvn ivliile the c( r is inoyinge,` and thetrolley is restrained by the tool-,oie

l trolley Wire ill. 'lhe trolley line 2l is held l by the tend-er 30vertically above the eye 2S and the barrier lf 'is arranged to slideilreely up and down the clutch holder l so lonnf as the end oiC theclutch Q2 is not in en- I:Linnenzent. with the clutch holder. rllhe endot the clutch is thus normally resiliently f l apaced apart troni thetop oit the clutch 'rier 2l; id

anu. When so held ,raid ineniber if: inactive. il. thuinb piece 3T onthe clutch latch 2Q enables the attendant to .i Vadily vvitlul an theshoulder il@ lroin the clut l1 lo attain alloiv the clutch to lie flaton the t oil' the clutch carrier.

The `h in ite 'preferred torn y .is crainpi plat provided at one endwith ration Btl sliahtly l: .i than the so that when the a canted maalposition relative to the postl` it will -ip the post.; thus to preventinovenient in nie direction along' the. inst. rillho end said plateopposite that to which the trolley line l is attached is pivotcd in aseat that projects above the top oit the clutch Weight or carrier 2l.

rthe clutcheretraetinn' springt` :25 clopended upon. to sustain theclutch carrier l under normal running conditions, but the inertia oitthe carier Q-lr in such that when the trolley Whee. l0 escapes troni thetrolhey Wire 3l and starts to spring upivard it'roin the force ot theusual trolley spring' Llilt the sudden jerk ot the trolley line 2l onthe clutch will pull vthe end ot the clutch 22 tree .troni the lato/hinashoulder 35, thus bringing' the clutch into the c itching position shownli in el \.'nereni ion it tightly grips the post l and prevents the line2l. it'roin being`v draivn up without liittine the post. The latch Willthereupon spring] toward the clutch thus bringing' the shoulder il@underneath the clatch so that in of any rebound ot' the trolley arin Q0,due to any resiliency ot the trolley line 2l or the inertia ot thetrolley arin When the clutch carrier has dropped to its loyverniostposition, the clutch can only return a comparatively slight distancetroni its clutching' position7 so that the clutch will almost instantlyreclutch the clutch holder l when the trolley arin is again inovedupward by the trolley spring` ll and any upv-,fard movement of theholder lue to the clutchingaction Will operate the iell cranks torelease the retriever .latches nd tic retriever beine thus released,will v the clutch holder, the clutch and the f rin down a distancesutlicient to in- 'ainst any Contact of the trolley 'ith overheadspan-Wires or switches vfuch it otherwise inight strike and it is seenthat by the reclutchine' action the trolley wil be held in approximatelytheA low est positie i to which it is oronrht by the device. From theforegoing it is clear that the springs and i9 may be of the requisitestrength to alone or in combination hold the clutch out of commission.

in the 'form shown in Fig. 6 the clutch is pivoted by a pivot 42 to theclutch carrier 2l and is provided with a tooth 3 to engage in notches lon the clutch holder 415. Stops 4G, l?, limit the movement of theclutch, relative to the carrier, and the spring '25 normally holds theclutch against stop llo and out of engagement with the clutch holder l5.

ln Fig. 2 a helical tension spring 47 is shown beneath and connectingthe retrieving weight G with the car bumper This spring is shown simplyto indicate that a spring may be employed to assist in retrieving thetrolley. rIhis spring when used may be secured at its opposite ends tolugs in the retriever weight and the car bumper. in Figs. S and E) saidspring is omitted and spring means to retrieve the trolley willordinarily be unnecessary.

"llo reset the device after the trolley has been caught and retrieved,the conductor or other attendant may draw back the latch 29 by the thumbpiece 3T to allow the clutch to rest on the carrier and may lift theretriever by the handle e8 until the latch bolts engage their seats.rilhe apparatus is then ready for further use.

rllhe clutch carrier and clutch may be simply of sufficient weight tohold the trolley line taut while the trolley is engaging the wire. frweight of about four pounds, more or less.I is found very satisfactory.

'lhe clutch holder may be of any cross sectional form desired and if itis deemed desirable that the clutch and its carrier shall not swingaround on the holder.l said holder may be angular in cross section andthe ways therefor in the clutch and carrier may be correspondinglyangular as shown in Fig. l() where 22" is the clutch, 24: the, clutchcarrier, l the clutch holder and 38 the angular way for the holder inthe clutch. ln Fig. i" the post -l and the carrier 2l are shown angularin cross section.

l claim:

l. Vlhe combination of a clutch-holder, a clutch capable of movementalong and engagement with the cl\.t ;:h-holder, yielding means tonormally hold the clutch from engagement with the clutch-holden and alatch to yieldingly engage the clutch and releasable by sudden movementof the clutch to allow the clutch to engage the clutch-holder.

Q. The combination with a trolley arm, of a trolley line, a verticalclutch-holder, a clutch fastened to the trolley line and adapted to movealong and normally out of engagement. with the clutch-holder7 means tohold the clutch out of engagement with said clutch holder during thenormal movement of said line as the trolley moves moderately up anddown, said clutch being brought into engagement with the clutch holderby a sudden movement of the trolley line, and a resilient latch toprevent the return of the clutch to normal disengaged position.

il. T he combination with a trolley arm of trolley line, a verticalclutch-holder fastened t-o the trolley line, a cramping clutchsurrounding and adapted to move along and engage the clutch-holder,means to normally hold the clutch out of engagement during the movementof said line as the trolley moves moderately up and down, said clutchbeing brought into engagement with the clutch-holder by a sudden pull onthe trolley line when the trolley escapes from the trolley wire7 andmeans brought into action by the upward movement of the clutch-holder todraw said clutch-holder down.

el. A trolley-catcher comprising a clutchholder, a weight surroundingand adapted to move up and down the clutch-holder, a clutch pivot-ed tothe weight and adapted to engage the clutch-holder, yielding means tonormally hold the clutch from engaging the clutch-holder, and a latch toengage the clutch-holder and releasable by a sudden movement of theclutch.

5. A trolley-catcher comprising an upright rod, a perforated clutch toengage the rod, a weight on which said clutch is mounted and having anorifice and slidable on the rod, means to yieldingly hold the clutchtoward the weight during moderate movement thereof and to allow theclutch to engage the rod upon sudden upward movement of the clutch.

6. An upright slidaloly mounted rod; a weight slidalole along the rod, aclutch pivoted to the weight and adapted to move with the weight. and toclutch the rod upon sudden movement. of the weight, and a springfastened to the weight to hold the clutch inactive during moderatemovement of the weight.

7. An upright rod7 a weight slidable along the rod, a clutch comprisinga cramping plate pivoted to and adapted to move with the weight and toclutch the rod, two springs fastened to the weight to hold the clutchfree from the rod during moderate` movement of the clutch, one of saidsprings acting as a latch and releasalole by sudden upward movement. ofthe clutch.

S. fr clutch-holder7 a clutch-carrier encircling and arranged to move upand down along the clutch-holder7 a perforated horizontal clutch on theclutch-carrier and adapted to crampingly engage the clutchholder., meanson the clutch-carrier to normally hold the clutch out of suchengagement, and latch means on the clutch carrier to normally engage theclutch, and adapted to be thrown out of engagement by sudden movementlof the latch.

fi. The eom'bii'mtion `with zi trolley oar, of

:i trolleyv arm :i s urine' to lift the arm a line 7 I: 7

to restrain the arm, u rod slidubl),V mounted on the (fr, y

arranged to engage the rod, i Currier for the clutch und slidzihle onthe rod, und means on the euri-ier for yieldingly engaging the (flutohto hold it n1opern..\'e during moderute movement oli' the trolley armand.

to sillon' the Clutch to engage the rod upon .sudden upwtufd .movementof the trolley arm.

l0. The combination with zi line, of it horizontul friction Clutch, aeluteli holder with which. the clutch may engage to pie vent moveinentof the line in one direction, u Weighted elnteli-ezirrier Slidzihle on,the (.:luteh-liolder und to u'liirfh the clutch is pivoted, and yieldingmeans to nornmlly hold the `Clutch from engagement with theclutolnholder, said means being operz'itnble by n sudden movement ol"the line to release the Clutch to allow such engagement.

ll. The combination with u line, ola a clutch fastened to the line und li l 1 Loonnlo Clutch Connected to the line, a clutch-holder with Wh ichthe Clutch ma)v engage to prevent movement of the line in one direction,yielding` hitch means to normally hold the Clutch from engagement withthe Clutch-holder. and means to release the Clutch upon a Suddenmovement of the line.

l2. The combination With u trolley arm und moons to force the armupward, of :i line, 1 Clutch-holder, o Clutch fastened to the line undslidahle along the clutch-holder, means operateble by sudden upwardmovement nud rebound of the arm to cause clutching and reelutcliing ofthe clutch upon the ohitch-holdeny and means operzitnhle by theclutching action to drow the Clutch und holder dou'nu'fufd to Cause saidrebound.

ln testimony whereof, l have hereunto set my hand atv Los Angeles,California, this 15th de v of October 1909.

CHARLES In presence of JAMES R. 'ioWNsnNnE L. BELLE Bion.

lV. M E Rit UJI' Hopf-.em oit t :is patent may' be obtained for '.vecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, E. t3.

man. x4

